Can I get my logic board fixed without sending in the hard drive?

[Fenir]

Hello, thanks for reading this.

Recently my 2008 MacBook pro decided to startup for about 1-2 seconds (no where close to the chime/grey screen), then turn off. After a little while, it wouldn't turn on at all. I'm a little bit of a security freak, and I have some financial documents and passwords tucked away in my computer. (I was also told they needed my startup password - why would they really need that? I also have guest accounts. That really bugged me.)

I need to send the computer for apples flat rate/fix all deal, but dont feel comfortable sending it in with my data. I would have 0 issue wiping it and sending it in, but the laptop won't turn on, so target disk mode and and external booting is out of the question. SMC and such do nothing.

My main question is - can I take out the hdd and send in the computer without it.

Or: I ordered a spare hard drive. It's completely blank and not formatted at all. I can attach that and send it in like that.

Are any of those viable options?

To me it's most likely the logic board, or maybe the power supply. But what are the odds it's related to the NVIDIA 8600 issue? The genius told me if that were the case the computer would turn on, just not show any video.


Tl;dr: computer won't turn on. Can't do any type of troubleshooting. Apple will send it out for their generic fix-all for $300. But I dot want to send in my hdd. Can I send it in without it or with an empty drive since I'm prett sure it's not an hdd issue.

Thanks for reading this and any thoughts/help.

 

[blueroom]

Backup your porn or whatever using CCC to an external HDD and format the drive.

 

[head honcho 123]

Hello, thanks for reading this.

Recently my 2008 MacBook pro decided to startup for about 1-2 seconds (no where close to the chime/grey screen), then turn off. After a little while, it wouldn't turn on at all. I'm a little bit of a security freak, and I have some financial documents and passwords tucked away in my computer. (I was also told they needed my startup password - why would they really need that? I also have guest accounts. That really bugged me.)

I need to send the computer for apples flat rate/fix all deal, but dont feel comfortable sending it in with my data. I would have 0 issue wiping it and sending it in, but the laptop won't turn on, so target disk mode and and external booting is out of the question. SMC and such do nothing.

My main question is - can I take out the hdd and send in the computer without it.

Or: I ordered a spare hard drive. It's completely blank and not formatted at all. I can attach that and send it in like that.

Are any of those viable options?

To me it's most likely the logic board, or maybe the power supply. But what are the odds it's related to the NVIDIA 8600 issue? The genius told me if that were the case the computer would turn on, just not show any video.


Tl;dr: computer won't turn on. Can't do any type of troubleshooting. Apple will send it out for their generic fix-all for $300. But I dot want to send in my hdd. Can I send it in without it or with an empty drive since I'm prett sure it's not an hdd issue.

Thanks for reading this and any thoughts/help.

this sounds like the 8600 issue. what ur saying sounds exactly what happened to me (boots for 1-2 seconds then completely shuts down).

honestly, i don't think apple needs the hard drive... but if they do decide to replace ur logical board bc they decide it's the GPU, they will prob want to turn on the computer to test that everything is working. to do that they will prob want a hard drive in the mbp.

even if u were not worried abt security issues (someone copying ur files) you should do this just to back up ur computer:

take our ur current HD from the mbp, place it in a sata to USB case, get another Mac (from a friend or computer lab) and back up that original HD to another HD.

after u copied all ur files, open disk utility and do a zero pass erase (if ur that paranoid do a 7 pass)... place the erased HD back in the MBP and send it in.

u don't need to install an OS in the HD because if it was the GPU problem, the display will still turn on and display A FOLDER WITH ? because it can't find a boot disk.

 

[Fenir]

I have my data backed up. That's not an issue.

My computer doesn't turn on, so I can't wipe it. By not turn on I don't mean wont start up, I mean does not do anything.

 

[head honcho 123]

I have my data backed up. That's not an issue.

My computer doesn't turn on, so I can't wipe it. By not turn on I don't mean wont start up, I mean does not do anything.

then just take out the HDD from the mbp, place it in a sata to usb case and erase it with disk util.

 

[Fenir]

this sounds like the 8600 issue. what ur saying sounds exactly what happened to me (boots for 1-2 seconds then completely shuts down).

honestly, i don't think apple needs the hard drive... but if they do decide to replace ur logical board bc they decide it's the GPU, they will prob want to turn on the computer to test that everything is working. to do that they will prob want a hard drive in the mbp.

even if u were not worried abt security issues (someone copying ur files) you should do this just to back up ur computer:

take our ur current HD from the mbp, place it in a sata to USB case, get another Mac (from a friend or computer lab) and back up that original HD to another HD.

after u copied all ur files, open disk utility and do a zero pass erase (if ur that paranoid do a 7 pass)... place the erased HD back in the MBP and send it in.

u don't need to install an OS in the HD because if it was the GPU problem, the display will still turn on and display A FOLDER WITH ? because it can't find a boot disk.

Thanks HH. I've never had to do something like this so I didnt know if it was as sample as booting it from another Mac and doing it that way.

But another reason is I have my gmail and skype/aim/Facebook all auto-logged in as well, and didn't want to have to worry about changing all those p/w at once.

 

[head honcho 123]

Thanks HH. I've never had to do something like this so I didnt know if it was as sample as booting it from another Mac and doing it that way.

But another reason is I have my gmail and skype/aim/Facebook all auto-logged in as well, and didn't want to have to worry about changing all those p/w at once.

no problem.

also i don't mean put the HDD in the sata to USB case to boot up from that (although technically you can) but just connect that HDD to another mac and it will show up on the desktop. you can just copy that HDD to the new computer with a simple drag and drop.

also if u did the autologin thing on safari, it won't be a problem if you erase the HDD. u won't have to change ur passwords for those sites. the login/pass is stored within safari's pref files. once those are gone no one can get it. u don't need to worry about changing ur pass

 

[blueroom]

Seriously if you haven't got a reliable backup and your HDD fails what are you going to do? Clone it, format it and Bobs your uncle.

 

[snaky69]

Hello, thanks for reading this.

Recently my 2008 MacBook pro decided to startup for about 1-2 seconds (no where close to the chime/grey screen), then turn off. After a little while, it wouldn't turn on at all. I'm a little bit of a security freak, and I have some financial documents and passwords tucked away in my computer. (I was also told they needed my startup password - why would they really need that? I also have guest accounts. That really bugged me.)

I need to send the computer for apples flat rate/fix all deal, but dont feel comfortable sending it in with my data. I would have 0 issue wiping it and sending it in, but the laptop won't turn on, so target disk mode and and external booting is out of the question. SMC and such do nothing.

My main question is - can I take out the hdd and send in the computer without it.

Or: I ordered a spare hard drive. It's completely blank and not formatted at all. I can attach that and send it in like that.

Are any of those viable options?

To me it's most likely the logic board, or maybe the power supply. But what are the odds it's related to the NVIDIA 8600 issue? The genius told me if that were the case the computer would turn on, just not show any video.


Tl;dr: computer won't turn on. Can't do any type of troubleshooting. Apple will send it out for their generic fix-all for $300. But I dot want to send in my hdd. Can I send it in without it or with an empty drive since I'm prett sure it's not an hdd issue.

Thanks for reading this and any thoughts/help.

The whole admin password thing is routine, they always ask for it. IMO you are paranoid, the geniuses have better stuff to do than snoop through your computer, you're not the only one getting stuff fixed.

Send it as is and don't worry about it.

 

[Fenir]

Seriously if you haven't got a reliable backup and your HDD fails what are you going to do? Clone it, format it and Bobs your uncle.

I have my data backed up to an external hard drive. That's not my issue. My issue was how to format the drive since my laptop won turn on.

 

[getz76]

Why didn't you just swap the new, bare drive in to the machine?

 

[Fenir]

Why didn't you just swap the new, bare drive in to the machine?

I dont have OS X installed on it, it's still unformatted. So if they were to fix the issue and start it up I Have no idea what would happen, or if that would e an issue for the repair people.

 

[getz76]

I confused.

You are asking how to format the drive in your machine. This will erase the drive. This would effectively be the same as installing the bare drive. If you wanted to, you could format the drive to GUID HFS+, but that really would not be necessary.

They tend to have install discs at Apple, so having a bare drive shouldn't be an issue for them.

 

[Fenir]

I confused.

You are asking how to format the drive in your machine. This will erase the drive. This would effectively be the same as installing the bare drive. If you wanted to, you could format the drive to GUID HFS+, but that really would not be necessary.

They tend to have install discs at Apple, so having a bare drive shouldn't be an issue for them.

I was asking how to format a drive in a computer that would not power on at all. I have the data backed up, just wad uncomfortable sending out my hdd with my data and passwords and such.

I can swap hdds, but the hdd I could swap it with it is brand new, so there's no operating system or anything on it. So if the repair place were to need access to the computer, they would have to install os x, and I was just wondering if that was a big deal or not. So in addition to replacing the logic board they might have to install OS x.

 

[scarboni21]

I was asking how to format a drive in a computer that would not power on at all. I have the data backed up, just wad uncomfortable sending out my hdd with my data and passwords and such.

I can swap hdds, but the hdd I could swap it with it is brand new, so there's no operating system or anything on it. So if the repair place were to need access to the computer, they would have to install os x, and I was just wondering if that was a big deal or not. So in addition to replacing the logic board they might have to install OS x.

If you have another mac or knows someone else that has a mac you can pull your hard drive out of your machine put it in an enclosure and boot from the external. You can then erase all personal info and then replace the drive into your machine. Once you get your mac back just restore from your backup.

 

[getz76]

I was asking how to format a drive in a computer that would not power on at all...

...I can swap hdds, but the hdd I could swap it with it is brand new, so there's no operating system or anything on it.

If you format a drive, there will be no operating system or anything on it.

 

[kaioshade]

If you really would rather not send the drive in (I will agree in saying you are being overtly paranoid), call them and ask if you can send it to them without the drive.

Putting in a non branded drive can cause some issues. I have seen machines refused because they were "tinkered" with, especially with a non branded Apple drive. Even if it the Nvidia recall Program. Take it to an Apple store and have them remove the drive for you (even if you are perfectly capable, it gives you security with them) then send it in. When it comes back pop the drive back in.